The biological characteristics of tertiary lymphoid structures in head and neck cancer

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Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a prevalent malignancy with poor survival rates, highlighting the need for improved therapeutic strategies.
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Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) are lymphocyte clusters in non-lymphoid tissues that play a crucial role in tumor immunity and response to immunotherapy.
3

Mature intra-tumoral TLS are linked to better patient prognosis and enhanced efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in HNC.
4

Challenges in TLS research include standardizing evaluation methods, developing non-invasive detection techniques, and understanding functional diversity across HNC subtypes.
5

This review consolidates recent findings on TLS, emphasizing their potential as biomarkers and targets for novel therapeutic approaches in HNC management.

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